Christ in Titus -- Our Great God And Savior

Paul wrote his letter to Titus before his second imprisonment in Rome, after he wrote his first letter to Timothy but before the second, in about 65 A.D.  Titus was in Crete when the letter was written.  Paul had left Titus there to get the churches in that area organized under good, solid leadership.  That was part of the purpose of this letter, reminding Titus of the qualifications required of good leaders.  Crete was generally considered to be in a raucous, unsavory part of the world (see Titus 1:12, which is a quote of a Cretan poet, Epimenides).  The term, “to Cretanize,” meant “to lie.”  Therefore, we can certainly understand the importance that Paul placed on being very selective about church leadership in his letter to Titus.  We don’t know a lot about the man, Titus, but tradition holds that he lived to the age of 94, he died a martyr’s death, and was buried on the island of Crete.  But we do know that a few months after this letter was written, Titus had gone to Dalmatia, present day Yugoslavia (see 2 Timothy 4:10).  So if what tradition says about his death is true, his mission in Dalmatia was a temporary one, most likely to share what Paul had taught him with church leaders there, perhaps even to share this letter with them.

The first chapter of this book deals mostly with instructions to Titus regarding the qualifications for elders (overseers or bishops) and how they should respond to false teachers.  Titus, an uncircumcised Gentile, was well acquainted with those who insisted that Gentile converts should adhere to the old Jewish laws and traditions:

For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you— if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict. (Titus 1:5-9).

For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain. . . not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth. . . They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work (Titus 1:10-11, 14, 16).

Paul revisited the point of false teachers in chapter three, just before he closed his letter with some personal remarks and greetings.  This repetition indicates that this was a major problem in Crete.  Nothing has changed, since false teaching is still a major problem for us today.  It would serve us all well to take to heart all that Paul was teaching Titus.  Paul advised Titus to correct those who were causing disputes and divisions within the church, giving them a chance to repent, but to remove them from the church if they continued in their heresies:

But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned (Titus 3:9-11).

In contrast to those false teachers, the second chapter begins by instructing Titus, a minister, to teach sound doctrine:

But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: (Titus 2:1).

And then Paul went on to tell Titus exactly what needed to be taught to several specific groups of people, including old men, young men, old women, young women, and slaves.  Apparently, Paul had heard of problems that these groups of people in Crete were having and how they were influencing the church as a whole.  He didn’t call out anyone by name like he did in some of his other letters, but because the problems he addressed were specific to certain groups of people we can assume that the problems were widespread throughout the churches in Crete.

Beginning in verse 11 of chapter 2, continuing through the first half of chapter 3, Paul wrote to Titus about teaching believers in general about living in under the grace of God.  This section of Paul’s letter gives the basis for all the rest of his instructions.  If we, like the believers in Crete, truly understand how lost in sin we once were, and if we understand that we are saved only by the grace of God, we will want to live our lives in a way that is pleasing to God.  So Paul wanted to be sure that Titus taught the members of his church about the truth of God’s grace.  Remember as you read the following verses, “grace” means undeserved, unearned, or unmerited favor – receiving something we do not deserve.  “Mercy” is the opposite of justice.  It means NOT getting the punishment we DO deserve:

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works (Titus 2:11-14).

For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:3-7).

Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you (Titus 2:15).

This week I pray that you have accepted the offer of mercy and grace that Jesus Christ Our Great God and Savior has bought for you.  He paid the price for your sin and mine on the cross.  He took the punishment that you and I deserve, and exchanged that punishment with grace.  Because of His sacrifice, we can be heirs with Him and we can have the hope of eternal life.  If you are unsure whether you will spend eternity in Heaven with Him, I hope that you will pray this simple prayer of salvation, adapted from the verses above:

Dear Jesus,
I have been foolish, disobedient, and deceived.  I have served various lusts and pleasures and have lived in malice and envy and hatred.  But I now understand that you died for me, not because I deserved it, but because you had mercy on me when I was a sinner.  Please pour out your Holy Spirit on me, filling me.  Save me to live for you, My Great God and Savior.
Amen.

All scripture references are from the New King James Version.